Surface and subsurface hydrocarbon recovery

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for the recovery of hydrocarbon values from underground hydrocarbonaceous deposits comprising forming an underground reaction zone containing a mass of rubblized hydrocarbonaceous material; forming an essentially surface reaction zone containing a mass of rubblized hydrocarbonaceous material in fluid communication with the underground reaction zone; forming an underground product collection zone for the gathering and collection of hydrocarbon values, said zone being in fluid communication with the surface and underground reaction zones; passing a suitable fluid capable of removing hydrocarbon values from the rubblized material through the surface and underground reaction zones so as to effectively remove hydrocarbon values from such material; and passing the hydrocarbon values to the underground collection zone for recovery.

I claim: 
     
       1. An improved process for the recovery of hydrocarbon values from underground hydrocarbonaceous deposits comprising forming an underground reaction zone containing a mass comprising rubblized hydrocarbonaceous material;   forming an essentially surface reaction zone containing a mass comprising rubblized hydrocarbonaceous material in fluid communication with the underground reaction zone;   forming an underground product collection zone for the gathering and collection of hydrocarbon values, said zone being in fluid communication with the surface and underground reaction zones;   passing suitable fluid capable of removing hydrocarbon values from the rubblized material through the surface and underground reaction zones so as to effectively remove hydrocarbon values from such material; and   passing the hydrocarbon values to the underground collection zone for recovery.   
     
     
       2. A retorting apparatus for the recovery of shale oil from oil shale comprising an underground in situ retorting area comprising an underground zone containing a rubblized mass comprising oil shale;   an underground collection system in fluid communication with the underground retort, capable of collecting shale oil from such retort;   an aboveground retort in fluid communication with the underground retort, said aboveground retort comprising a substantially aboveground zone containing a rubblized mass comprising oil shale, said zone having a sealed sloping floor so that shale oil formed in such retort will pass along the floor and pass to the underground retort to the collection system.   
     
     
       3. A method of forming an apparatus for the recovery of shale oil from oil shale comprising forming an underground retort by removing about 2 to about 40 percent of the oil shale from a retorting zone and expanding a portion of the oil shale remaining in the zone to provide a mass comprising rubblized oil shale in such zone;   providing a shale oil recovery system in fluid communications with such underground retort;   forming a substantially aboveground retort having a sealed sloping floor and containing a mass comprising rubblized oil shale, said aboveground retort being in fluid communication with the underground retort so that shale oil produced in the substantially aboveground retort can be passed into the underground retort and shale oil recovery system.   
     
     
       4. An improved process for the recovery of hydrocarbon values from underground hydrocarbonaceous deposits comprising passing suitable fluid capable of removing hydrocarbon values from rubblized material through an essentially surface reaction zone and an underground reaction zone containing such material, said surface and underground reaction zones being in fluid communication with each other and also in fluid communication with an underground product collection zone for the gathering and collection of hydrocarbon values, so that hydrocarbon values are effectively removed from the rubblized material and passed to the collection zone for recovery.